Arriving home, Puck immediately greets us with its cheerful chirps.
"We're home, Puck."
"Kyuu! Kyuu!"
Then, I turn to the girls.
"How about we all cook together tonight?"
And they agree without hesitation.
"I'd love that, Motegi-chan!"
"Leave this to us, Motegi-kun!"
"I shall provide... my utmost... assistance, Motegi-sama..."
"Request acknowledged, Master."
"Oooh~... I can't wait to cook with everyone, darling~..."
"Your command is law, mine king."
"Fufufu~... I'm in, honey~..."
"Very well, my Lord."
As the girls head to the wardrobe room to get changed, I crouch down beside Puck and stroke its soft fur.
"Wait here, okay?"
"Kyuu!"
Once the girls are finished and adorned in their light homewear, we make our way into the kitchen and begin unloading the ingredients... including the shellborn and minotaur meat, emerald-green Drupeshooter's pistachios, and a pile of glossy apples from the Forbidden Trees.
We already had a taste of those four last night. The shellborn was really like a thousand times better than a lobster, and the minotaur also surpassed any premium wagyu in Japan. The apples had the perfect balance of sweet and sour, and the pistachios were so fragrant and rich.
Then, I open the recipe book and flip to two pages, holding the book up to the girls.
"I think these two are good for tonight."
With that, I start assigning tasks.
"Yomogi, Manas. You're the ragù team."
"Okay, Motegi-chan!"
"With pleasure, mine king."
"Pinna, Salacia. You're the béchamel team."
"Confirmed, Master."
"You got it, darling~..."
"Kimberly, Brunhild. You're the apple filling team."
"Understood, Motegi-sama..."
"I shall not falter, my Lord."
"Chantal, Lilith. You're the pistachio crumble team."
"Alright, Motegi-kun!"
"I'll make this dessert irresistible, honey~..."
And just like that, the kitchen comes alive.
Manas is mincing the minotaur meat with such precision of her blade. Beside her, Yomogi chops Drill Carrots, celery, and onions. In a Dutch oven, they toss the mirepoix and meat in batches, letting them sizzle one by one in Spring Olive's oil. The Heiligeichen's red wine follows, then in goes the passata, a splash of water, and sprinkles of salt and pepper.
Then, I step in for a taste.
"Hmm! Perfect."
"Mwahaha!"
"Yay!"
Across the two, Salacia boils the shellborn meat for a while before she shreds the flesh. Meanwhile, Pinna melts butter in a saucepan, followed by stirring in flour to form a roux, and then she keeps whisking as she pours the milk and seasons with salt and pepper until the sauce thickens. After that, they combine it all.
I also take a taste of this one.
"Oh yeah, this one is amazing too."
"Teehee~... did you hear that, Pinna?"
"Affirmative. Assessment successful."
On the other side, Kimberly slices the apples thinly into perfect crescents and carefully tosses them into a bowl. Then, Brunhild takes charge to add a mix of cornstarch, cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice, gently massaging until each slice is coated.
I take one from the bowl and bite into it.
"Good job, you two."
"Thank you… Motegi-sama..."
"I am honored, my Lord."
Across the two, Chantal chops the pistachios. And then, Lilith folds them into flour and melted butter.
I take a spoonful of the crumble mix and taste it.
"Nothing to say about this."
"Woohoo!"
"We're on fire, hmm~?"
While they work, I get to work with the two doughs. For the first, I mix flour with eggs, folding and scraping the sticky mess until it becomes a smooth pasta dough. For the second, I mix flour with cold butter and water, working quickly until it becomes a flaky pie dough. I put both of them in a separate airtight silicone container and place them in the fridge to rest.
After a quick cleanup, I look around at everyone.
"All right. I'll take over from here. You can wait at the table."
"Yes!"
The girls obediently step out of the kitchen, heading to the dining table.
Moments later, I retrieve the doughs. First, I roll the pasta thinly, dusting with flour, then slice it into long, uniform strips and boil them until al dente. Second, I roll the pie into a wide, flat circle, big enough to hug the dish.
In the casserole tray, I spread a base with ragù. Then, I form the first layer of pasta, more ragù, a thick smear of béchamel, and a generous sprinkle of both Misdaras's gooey and grainy cheeses. I repeat the layer three more times, then finish with béchamel and cheese on top.
In a pie dish, I press in the rolled dough and trim the edges. I pour in the apple filling and sprinkle the pistachio crumble generously over the surface.
After that, I slide the lasagna and pie into two separate ovens.
About 40 minutes later, I lift them carefully from the ovens with gloves and let them cool off as I whisk Misdaras's cream until it's thickened. After that, I scatter some fresh basil leaves all over the lasagna, and then I scoop the whipped cream and put some fresh mint leaves on top of the pie. Finally, I place them onto a serving trolley along with some plates and two more bottles of Heiligeichen's red wine. And I roll the trolley out of the kitchen into the dining room.
"Alright, our special lasagna and apple crumble pie are ready!"
I park the trolley beside the table and set both dishes down in the center. I scoop generous portions of lasagna onto nine large plates, then carefully place a tiny serving onto Puck's plate. And then, we don't waste time to reach for our forks.
Yomogi and Manas chew happily, feeling proud of their meat sauce.
"Mmm! I'm so happy the ragù turned out this good, Motegi-chan!"
"Aye, this doth fill mine heart with great pride. Such harmony born of our shared toil, mine king."
Pinna and Salacia are also pleased with their white sauce.
"The béchamel is smooth, rich, and evenly emulsified. The shellborn meat integrates well with the sauce. Salacia and I produced a very satisfactory result."
"Creamy seafood really is the best~! I love this so much, darling~!"
Chantal barely pauses between bites.
"There's so much meat and sauce here, Motegi-kun! I seriously can't stop eating!"
Kimberly savors each mouthful slowly.
"This is... perfect… to celebrate... this moment… Motegi-sama..."
Lilith lets out a pleased moan as she chews.
"Mmmhh~... honey, your pasta's amazing too~. I could eat this forever~..."
"Thank you, Lilith."
Brunhild nods with a smile as Puck chirps excitedly while nibbling from its tiny plate.
"It is quite indulgent, my Lord... but very pleasant."
"Kyuu!"
Finally, I take my own bite, enjoying the meat, sauce, and cheese in my mouth.
"This is really unbelievable..."
Once the main plates are cleared, we move on to dessert. I cut the apple crumble pie into nine equal slices and place them onto fresh plates, setting aside a smaller slice for Puck. Again, no one hesitates to dig in.
Kimberly and Brunhild approve their apple filling through their delightful bites.
"I'm proud… of this filling… Motegi-sama..."
"It feels different to eat my own cooking, my Lord. It is more satisfying."
Chantal giggles, and Lilith moans, crunching into their pistachio crumble.
"Ehehe... totally worth it to chop these nuts, Motegi-kun."
"Mmmhh~... I'm melting from my own work, honey~..."
Yomogi's eyes light up joyfully.
"Your crust is amazing too, Motegi-chan! It's crisp, buttery, and soft inside."
"Thanks, Yomogi."
Pinna finishes her bite and analyzes again.
"The balance of sweetness, acidity, and texture is optimal. This is a very satisfactory dessert, Master."
Manas smiles proudly.
"Truly, we eateth like kings and queens this night, mine king!"
Salacia hums happily as she chews, while Puck chirps again as it nibbles at its slice.
"Mmm~... I can taste everything, darling~..."
"Kyuu!"
Finally, I take my own bite. Warm apples, fragrant spice, and crunchy crumble are all layered together perfectly.
"Monster items are always amazing, aren't they?"
Once dessert is finished, I uncork the wine and pour it into everyone's glasses. Then, I stand to make a speech.
"Today, we conquered the labyrinth. And tonight, we shared this meal together. Here's to today and to even greater successes in the future. Cheers."
"Cheers!"
And just like that, we clink our glasses together and take a sip.
MOMENTS LATER
After dinner, we let our stomachs settle by doing a store prep downstairs.
First up: toiletries. I take out all the materials and activate [Hygienics] silently, letting the skill transform them into a wide variety of soap bars, bottles of shampoo and sanitizers, and pouches of toothpaste and deodorant. With [Copier], I multiply the batches into many, and then I turn to Pinna.
"Pinna, please stock this."
"Understood, Master."
Second, I pull out the next round of materials and activate [Blacksmithing]. The charcoal and Heiligeichen's ores are transformed into cookware and utensils from cast iron, bronze, and stainless steel. And Nomah's finest ores are turned into bullion bars of silver, gold, and platinum with a cute little stamp of Puck. With [Copier], I duplicate them until there are enough, and then I turn to Yomogi and Brunhild.
"Yomogi, Brunhild, these go on your shelves."
"Got it, Motegi-chan!"
"I shall begin at once, my Lord."
Third, I take out the next set of materials and activate [Pottery], shaping them into many forms of Chinese ceramics. Of course, I multiply them quickly with [Copier] before I turn to Kimberly.
"Kimberly, mind helping with these?"
"Yes… Motegi-sama..."
Then, I summon the next materials, and with my [Lapidary] skill, everything becomes something else in a blink of an eye. The minerals are transformed into masonry goods, while the raw crystals are turned into cut, polished, and sparkling gemstones. And for the final touch, I duplicate them with [Copier] into a full lineup for Chantal's and Lilith's respective sections.
"Okay, Chantal. Lilith. You're up."
"Got it, Motegi-kun!"
"As you wish, honey~…"
As everyone arranges the products on their shelves, I turn to Salacia and Manas.
"You ready?"
"Mm-hmm, darling~..."
"Bid me proceed, mine king."
"Good."
I begin with pulling out coconut and mangrove wood from Oserin, Misdaras' timber and bamboo, resin, black and white stones, more coloring minerals... and finally, I add the Tera Mandrake roots we got earlier. I activate [Carpentry] to shape furniture and boards for chess, go, and mahjong. As for the Tera Mandrake roots, I shape them into small, polished sculptures. With [Copier], they multiply at once.
Once it's done, Salacia and I marvel at the new Tera Mandrake lineup. Honestly, I had no clear image in mind for these sculptures, and in the end, they all turned out abstract. And despite the texture being as dense and smooth as I expected, they're too soft to be used for anything practical like chairs or game boards, so they will remain as decorative sculptures.
"Well, I guess it looks sturdy enough for a sculpture, right?"
Salacia slowly trails her palm over a sculpture of the meditating man without an abdomen, leaving a glistening trail across the surface.
"Hehehe~... you're totally right, darling~. I can already tell people are gonna go absolutely nuts for this~..."
"Yeah, no doubt about that."
Then, I give her the next order.
"Well, these are yours to display now."
"Leave it to me, darling~..."
Finally, I gather the remaining ores and charcoal and add the chunks of mithril, adamantite, and orichalcum from the Alloy Golem we got earlier. I silently activate [Blacksmithing] and in an instant, they transform into various shapes of weapons and armor. After that, I duplicate everything with [Copier] into many.
Once it's done, both Manas and I are stunned by the mithril, adamantite, and orichalcum lineup. The mithril glistens with a silvery-blue sheen, the adamantite has a dark, rich gunmetal tone, and the orichalcum is golden-red with a subtle, inner glow. When I shaped them, I finally understood the joy of blacksmiths for crafting such metals, just like I'd seen in fantasy stories.
"Let me know your opinion, Manas."
Manas picks up a massive mithril claymore in one hand and an adamantite targe in the other. She gives the blade a few testing swings and slams her knuckles against the shield, and her eyes glint in satisfaction.
"By the flame of old, these art most wondrous. I daresay, no adventurer wouldst leave thy store without coveting such craftsmanship, mine king."
"You're right."
But then, she suddenly sighs with a hint of envy.
"Haaahh... if only mine shield were forged from adamantite too, and not mere platinum..."
"Well, I can coat your shield with adamantite if you want."
And her eyes widen with surprise after I say that.
"Verily?!"
"Of course. And maybe I'll also reinforce Chantal's daggers and Brunhild's sword with these metals."
"Mine king, thou art far too generous. I am most humbled and grateful beyond words."
After that, I give her the next order.
"Okay, now set these things first for me, then I'll proceed to the coating."
"Aye, mine king."
Once everything is shelved, the girls head upstairs as I call out to two people.
"Chantal, Brunhild, come here."
They pause mid-step, turning immediately and returning to me.
"What's up, Motegi-kun?"
"What do you require, my Lord?"
"Manas asked me earlier if I could coat her shield with adamantite, and she just went to grab it now. So, do either of you want the same treatment for your weapons?"
And they light up instantly.
"Yes, absolutely! That sounds amazing, Motegi-kun!"
"It would be an honor to receive such a blessing, my Lord."
"Okay, go get your weapons and meet me back here."
"Got it!"
"As you command, my Lord."
As they disappear, my thoughts are drifting.
Chantal once told me her twin daggers were just plain steel and nothing special, yet she's had them since she was a teenager. Brunhild also said her greatsword was forged from a "strange metal that fell from the heavens," which I still believe is a meteorite, and she's carried that sword through millennia. As for Manas, she treats her pavise shield like a sacred relic because it's my first gift to her.
That's why I'm not replacing their weapons, but only enhancing them.
A few minutes later, the three return with their respective gear and wordlessly offer it to me.
"Thank you."
Then, I set the shield, sword, and daggers down on the floor. Beside them, I place chunks of mithril, adamantite, and orichalcum. After that, I silently activate [Blacksmithing] and in an instant, the metals respond. Chantal's daggers take on a gleaming silvery-blue sheen of mithril, Manas's pavise baths in a dark, rich gunmetal tone of adamantite, and Brunhild's greatsword turns into a golden-red blade with a subtle, inner glow of orichalcum.
Once it's done, I hand each one back to them.
"Well, what do you think?"
Chantal bounces in joy as she takes her daggers.
"Whoa! I've never seen these babies look this cool before! You're the best, Motegi-kun!"
Manas lifts her pavise, examining its surface before giving it a few strong knocks and laughing proudly.
"Mwahahaha! At long last, mine shield is no mere platinum scrap but a worthy bastion of might. Gramercy, mine king!"
Brunhild takes her greatsword with both hands, giving a few swings to test its balance.
"This is beautiful. Thank you for your generosity, my Lord."
And I smile back at them.
"You're welcome."
After that, Chantal, Manas, and Brunhild head back upstairs with big smiles on their faces and their upgraded weapons in hand.
But suddenly...
"Ah! Right, I almost forgot."
From my dimensional inventory, I take out Spring Olive's oil, Mile Chamo's dried flowers, ash, and finally, a vial of aphrodisiac from the ropers yesterday. Then, I silently activate [Hygienics] and in an instant, they're transformed into a sleek, wicked bar of soap.
And I can't help but murmur.
"Yeah, tonight's gonna be fun..."
Since Puck has its own baby soap, there's no risk of mix-ups.
And I really can't wait to see the girls use this soap, and I already picture how their skin will flush and their breaths will get heavy for me...